Sergi ‘really happy’ with pre-season form so far

Sergi Canos believes that Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Premier League Southampton gives the whole Bees squad belief that they can achieve great things this season.

Lasse Vibe’s third in as many matches put Dean Smith’s side ahead just before the break, as he converted Sergi’s low cross from close range. Charlie Austin then struck twice for the visitors before the hour but Josh Clarke’s late cross, that evaded Fraser Forster before tricking in, meant The Bees left with a deserved draw.

Speaking to the media on Monday at Jersey Road, Sergi said: “The first-half was some of the best football we have played. To show that against a Premier League side was a good achievement but then the second-half was a bit loose and we weren’t at our best. We are very happy with the draw and are building a very good team. We made some changes and still did well. The whole team believes that we can do great things this year.”

The 20-year-old has carried his fine form from the end of last season into this one after contributing three goals and two assists in his four pre-season games so far this campaign. The winger has been pleased with how his pre-season has gone thus far but said that he has to carry it into the league season.

“The most important thing is the team and I want the team to achieve what they want to,” said Sergi. “After that then it’s about me. I want to do a big year but that means the team has to do a big year too. I want to do better than last year but that will come I think. I am really happy with the numbers that I have been doing in pre-season but pre-season doesn’t count. I hope that I am building something for the league.”

Big-money moves have been the order of the day in the Championship this summer with a number of players moving for club-record, and Championship record, fees. The Bees themselves have added six players but Sergi doesn’t feel intimidated by the money that is being spent in the league.

“You don’t get better players with bigger money: you just have to know what to buy and what to sell with the budget you have,” said Sergi. “We are a small team but we have made some really good signings without spending as much as others have done. It is a big league, because there are teams spending ten or 12 million on players but that doesn’t mean anything for me.”